CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Archemix Corp. announced today the appointment of James Gilbert, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs.
Dr. Gilbert has extensive experience managing clinical development with more than 20 years of pharmaceutical industry and medical experience, particularly in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. As Chief Medical Officer, he will develop clinical strategies and priorities and oversee design and implementation of clinical trials for Archemix’s growing portfolio of aptamer therapeutics. He also will be responsible for regulatory affairs and interaction with the FDA. As a key member of senior management, Dr. Gilbert will participate in defining strategic direction and development of the R&D portfolio for the company. Prior to joining Archemix, Dr. Gilbert was Vice President of Clinical Development, Cardiovascular/Inflammation at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, with responsibility for clinical development strategies and clinical trial implementation in Phases 1 through 4.
“We are privileged to have such an accomplished clinician and proven drug developer joining the Archemix team,” said Dr. Errol De Souza, President and Chief Executive Officer of Archemix. “Jim’s track record of successful drug development, particularly in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, will be invaluable in the anticipated Phase I clinical development of our proprietary anti-von Willebrand Factor aptamer for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, Jim’s strong leadership and expertise will be a great asset as we work to advance our growing aptamer product pipeline through to clinical development.”
“Archemix is at an exciting stage of its development,” commented Dr. Gilbert. “The company’s aptamer technology has the potential to bring forth an entirely new class of therapeutics for the treatment of acute and chronic diseases. I look forward to joining a great team of people and a company with such exciting prospects.”
Before his appointment at Archemix, Dr. Gilbert spent almost three years with Millennium Pharmaceuticals, as the Vice President of Clinical Development, Cardiovascular/Inflammation. In this position he was responsible for early clinical development of Millennium’s pipeline of novel immunomodulators and late stage development of its marketed cardiovascular product, Integrilin(R). Prior to Millennium, he worked at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., for nearly seven years, holding numerous positions including Global Therapeutic Area Head for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. He began his career with Bayer Corporation. Before joining the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Gilbert held positions as an instructor in the Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and as a Staff Physician at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Connecticut. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and his bachelor’s degree from Yale University in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry.
About Aptamers
Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids that form well-defined three dimensional shapes, allowing them to bind target molecules in a manner that is conceptually similar to antibodies. Aptamers combine the optimal characteristics of small molecules and antibodies, including high specificity and affinity, chemical stability, low immunogenicity and the ability to target protein-protein interactions. In contrast to monoclonal antibodies, aptamers are chemically synthesized rather than biologically expressed, offering a significant cost advantage.
About Archemix Corp.
Archemix Corp. is a privately-held biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company’s mission is to develop aptamers as a class of directed therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of human disease. Because of their unique properties and proven efficacy, aptamers offer an alternative to biologics and small molecules in numerous applications and offer the potential to be a major class of drugs for the treatment of unmet medical needs.
Archemix’s aptamer expertise is complemented by a robust patent estate comprised of over 220 issued and 230 pending patents covering the identification, composition, and use of therapeutic aptamers. In addition to the company’s core aptamer generation technology, Archemix possesses strong expertise in both pre-clinical and clinical drug development. Further information on Archemix can be found at www.archemix.com.
For further information about Archemix or aptamers, or to speak with Drs. James Gilbert or Errol De Souza, please contact Davia Temin or Suzanne Oaks of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or news@teminandco.com.
Archemix Corp.
CONTACT: Davia Temin, or Suzanne Oaks, both of Temin and Company,+1-212-588-8788, or news@teminandco.com, for Archemix Corp.
Web site: http://www.archemix.com/
